Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates in general to antennas, and more specifically, to compact planar inverted-F antennas (PIFAs) that can be integrated into receivers for wireless power transmission.
Background Information
Wireless power transmission may include a transmitter for forming and directing RF waves towards a receiver which may convert RF waves or pockets of energy into usable power for charging or powering an electronic device. The receiver may be integrated into the electronic device (i.e. a smartphone, a tablet) or may be in the form of a case that can be operatively coupled with the electronic device for suitable charging or powering. The receiver may include an antenna array with a plurality of antenna elements configured as will be described.
One important factor considered in wireless power transmission is the continuous improvement of the antenna elements used in the receiver. This is becoming more relevant as the trend of smaller hand held electronic devices with an increasing number of wireless functions may significantly complicate the antenna selection and integration process. As such, it may be desirable to decrease the size of antenna elements so that these antenna elements can be easily incorporated into the receiver or electronic device, while sustaining or improving their performance. It may be also desirable to have antenna elements with robust mechanical properties for long lasting integration and operation.